Parents in Baringo North, Marigat and Tiaty have been blamed for risking lives of their young children by using them to herd livestock in volatile areas.
The areas are experiencing cattle rustling and banditry incidents.
Speaking during Day of the African Child celebrations at Sunrise Children’s Home in Kabarnet town recently, county coordinator of Children Services Omuse Otijom noted with dismay that parents were using children to herd animals at the expense of their education.
Otijom said that his office had received numerous cases of children who have been injured and others lost lives while at the field herding their family livestock.
“Unfortunately, you find some parents using their children to herd livestock and when the cattle rustlers come to steal, our innocent children are the first people to be affected in such incidences,” he said.
The children’s coordinator noted that from such insecurity challenges in the region, the education calendar is interrupted because families move to safer areas.
This forces some schools to remain closed for the better part of the term or year.
He observed that local communities were still practicing harmful cultural practices like female genital mutilation and early marriage.
This, he said, has derailed some of the gains made in the education sector in the county.
“When we are engaging in such harmful cultural practices, know that other counties are doing their things right and they are moving forward,” he warned.
Kabarnet assistant county commissioner (ACC) Roselyne Mugambi who graced the occasion called for communal parenting in tackling some of the harmful practices such as FGM, gender based violence as well as cattle rustling.
These are still being practiced by members of the community and denying children an environment that is fit for their growth.
At the same time, Mugambi urged children to ensure that they always remained obedient to their parents who invest heavily on them by going to school for them to become dependable people in future.
Baringo Central sub county director of education George Ngao expressed the need for all education stakeholders to work together as a team and find lasting solutions to some of the educational challenges within the county like FGM, early marriage and children engaging in illegal activities.
Moses Chepkonga, a representative from World Vision Kenya said that the day was important because it brings on board all stakeholders to deliberate on better ways of protecting, caring and giving children responsibilities that are within their age groups to promote their growth of becoming a whole rounded person in the society.
The theme of the celebrations was: 30 years after the adoption of the charter; accelerate implementation of agenda 2040 for an Africa fit for children.
